South Corner

Business Summary:

South Corner is in the suburban streets of Werribee. In what was once the old corner shop/milk bar. They offer a variety of display food items, offer breakfast and lunch for you to enjoy with your specialty coffee.

Personnel Information: 

Owners

Fab, who is the owner of the business, created the south corner 4 years ago. Owners focus on the big picture. They define the vision and roadmap. They have the knowledge and authority to make strategic decisions and clear the path of political and financial obstacles.

Amy Williams is a café manager in the South Corner who has worked there for nearly 4 years (June) when the cafe first opened. She manages staff, planning and evaluating department activities. Maintains staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees. Also ensuring a safe, secure, and legal work environment.

A four-year bachelor's degree is more common. Restaurant managers typically get certification in food handling and serving alcohol. You usually industry experience to work as a Cafe or Restaurant Manager. But a diploma or advanced diploma in hospitality, cookery or hospitality management may be useful.

Duties:

• have a discussion with chefs

•  plan menus and organise special functions

•  handling purchase and price of the food/equipment budget  

•  supervising and training the kitchen staff

• greet guests and assist in taking orders

•  ensuring the place is with health regulation and are clean

• conferring with customers to assess their satisfaction with meals and service

Chef

The chef develops new recipes, analyses the performance of each of the dishes individually, and reviews the dishes as a part of the whole menu. The main responsibilities are to train the kitchen staff and to ensure that their duties are being carried out to the greatest extent of their potential, to decide when and what (ingredients, equipment, etc.) to order from the suppliers. And in this regard, chefs also control the budget and keep accurate records to produce them, ensuring that the food they are providing is of the best quality. They need to strictly follow the kitchen safety standards, required goods, and services for the overall kitchen management. Looks after the hygiene standards and interacts with guests to receive their feedback on food quality, service levels, and presentation.

You usually need a certificate IV in commercial cookery to work as a Chef. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship. 

Duties: 

• planning menus, estimating food and labour costs, and ordering food supplies

• monitoring quality of dishes by presenting and preparing them

• discussing food preparation issues with Managers, Dietitians and kitchen and waiting staff

• preparing and cooking food

• train cooks

• explaining and enforcing hygiene regulations

Cooks

Cooks help devise new methods of cooking and new menu items. Prepared meals and follow establishment recipes. Duties include preparing ingredients, adhering to the restaurant menu, and following food health and safety procedures. Cook, clean, assist other cooks and staff, and deliver food in a fast-paced environment.

Most cooks learn their skills through on the job training and work-related experience. Although no formal education is required, some restaurant cooks and private household cooks attend culinary schools.

Duties:

•  preparing and cooking food

• seasoning food during cooking

• storing food in temperature

• train other staffs

• following chefs’ instructions

• meet special dietary requirements when preparing food

•  Plan menus and food requirements 

Barista

Baristas welcomes customers, informing them about specials or new items, answering questions, and accepting orders and payments. Preparing foods, such as sandwiches or baked goods, and grinding and blending coffee beans, brewing coffee and tea, and serving items to customers. Packaging food and beverages for sale. Cleaning and restocking work and dining areas, emptying trash, and sanitizing equipment and utensils. Learning about brewing methods, beverage blends, food preparation, and presentation techniques to improve food quality. And adhering to all food safety regulations and quality controls.

To become a Barista you don't require any formal qualifications because they will be developing their knowledge on the job.

Duties 

• cleaning and maintaining bar service areas, coffee-making areas and espresso machines

• making and grinding coffee 

• operating cash registers

• promoting services and products

• washing glassware and arranging bottles and glasses

• preparing, serving and selling

• restocking drink dispensers, shelves and refrigerators

Waiters 

A waiter makes food orders to customers and gives it to the kitchen staff. They must also verify that customers' food and beverage orders are correct and deliver the orders to patrons. They greet customers, bring food and drinks to the tables and take payment and make changes to any compliance dealing with customer issues. They have to cooperate and communicate with all serving and kitchen staff.

Some workers have Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications in areas such as hospitality. But you can be a waiter without formal qualifications but they may be useful.

Duties 

• setting and arranging tables

• greeting customers and presenting them with menus and beverage lists

• taking orders and transmitting them to kitchen and bar staff

• clearing tables and returning dishes and cutlery to kitchen

• removing empty used glasses/bottles from tables and refilling and replacing them

• collecting payments

• serving food and beverages

Management of OHS concerns:

Amy and Fab have been working together since the business was created and they both handle OHS and provide training for the employees. Amy Williams (manager) and Fab (owner) ensure all employees are trained once they start with the use of machines, how to report hazards, and general safety procedures. They ensure that they are following up on any hazards or issues and that they have been made aware of ensuring they are fixed within a certain period. They often do a risk assessment when they get new equipment or put a new procedure in place when required. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) ensures the health and safety of employees and other people at work. They monitor and enforce compliance which they make recommendations to the minister about the OHS Act, promote public awareness to then publishing OHS statistics. HSR are elected to represent workers on health, safety and matters have responsibilities under WHS legislation. They play a role in gathering information to represent workers on health and safety issues with the workplace, monitor the measures taken by the employer. Work safe is responsible for promoting and enforcing health and safety in Victorian workplaces. the purpose of this is to advise on improving work health and safety. 

To ensure employee safety the following steps are taken: 

Amy Williams & Fab (Owners) do:

• OHS practices and procedures every 6-8 weeks 

• Go over any OHS during training

• Ensuring that they follow up on any hazards

• Ensure employees are all trained correctly, and that the manager is always on duty for any issues

• follow the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) procedures 

• Create a safety committee – and hold monthly safety meetings 

Chef do: 

• Supervise the preparation of all food

• Ensure the workings are working safely at all times

• Ensure all staff are aware of their duties and what is expected of them

• wear safe clothing 

• personal hygiene - washing hands regularly especially before preparing or eating food  

• Using separate cutting boards for raw meats, vegetables and produce, and cooked foods 

Cooks do:

• control and prevention of hazards from work that may result in injury, illness, or affect the well being of workers and customer 

• Cleans food preparation areas 

• Makes changes to food items to accommodate guests with allergies or specific diet concerns.

• wear safe clothing 

• personal hygiene - washing hands regularly especially before preparing or eating food

• Using separate cutting boards for raw meats, vegetables and produce, and cooked foods   

Barista do:

• take reasonable care for the health and safety of others and themselves

• Cleaning and sanitising work areas, utensils and equipment

• Food safety handling, preparing and storing food

• Ensure workers have the proper equipment 

• Make sure all workers are properly trained 

• Create a safety committee – and hold monthly safety meetings 

Waiters do: 

• taking orders and serving food and beverages to guests

•  Dealing with customer issues and complaints

• checking on customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals and take action to correct any problems. 

• use labels and sign

• Make sure employees have the right tools and have regular equipment inspections 

Work Environment and job longevity:

It is a very large occupation in café and restaurant managers work which is in many regions of Australia. Employment outlines that in 5 years time in 2024 it will increase to 77,000 workers. The weekly full time earnings for café and restaurant managers is about $1,346. 

The daily tasks on a daily basis at a cafe or restaurant: 

•  Greet customer  

•  preparing and serving food and beverages for consumption on the premises

• taking customers' food and beverage orders

•  operating cash registers, accepting payments, and preparing sales invoices

•  clearing away used dishes and cutlery from tables when customers are finished

• cleaning and preparing tables for use

• washing dishes, cutlery, and cooking utensils

•  cleaning cafe equipment such as coffee grinders, espresso machines, and ice makers

• participating in stock takes and assisting in putting away new stock

• providing backup to other cafe employees

Covid restrictions 

• practising good hygiene

• maintaining physical distancing, keep at least 1.5 metres away from others

•  staying home if you’re feeling unwell

•  Seek medical care early if you have a fever, coughs, and difficulty breathing but call first

•  getting tested if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, and staying home until you get the result back

•  downloading the COVID Safe app

•  following the current restrictions in place

Employment opportunities (including work Experience):

Cafe and Restaurant Manager's earnings for full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,346 per week. But it tends to be lower when starting out and then higher as experience grows. The hours for full-time workers spend around 48 hours per week at work compared to the average of 44 hours.

The south corner doesn’t often take work experience students due to how busy they are at the café. but they often employ new staff only when required, maybe a couple of times a year.

Employee entitlements, workplace agreements:

South Corner staff is entitled to:

Award: South corner falls under Restaurant Industry Award [MA000119] clause 2 and schedule A

This Award Covers:

• waiters and waitresses

• baristas (in mainly eat-in cafés)

• kitchen hands, cooks and chefs including apprentice chefs

• clerical and office employees

• security and storeroom employees

• handypersons

Entitlements:

Meal breaks - a meal break of up to 30 minutes when working more than 5 hours and up to 6.

The span of hours - Ordinary hours are worked between Monday 7:00 am-1:00 pm and Tuesday-Sunday 6:00am-2:30 pm.

Payment of wages - The employer and a full-time employee must agree on the arrangement for working the average of 38 ordinary hours per week required for full-time employment.

Superannuation - Under superannuation legislation, individual employees generally have the opportunity to choose their superannuation fund. If an employee does not choose, any superannuation fund nominated in the award covering the employee applies

Leave and Public Holidays - an employee who is a 7-day shift worker regularly rostered to work on Sundays and public holidays in a business in which shifts are continuously rostered 24 hours a day for 7 days a week. 

Annual leave loading - An employer must pay an employee a loading of 17.5% on the amount payable to the employee under the NES  for a period of paid annual leave, including a period of untaken paid annual leave when the employment of the employee ends.